Chris Howell, CEO: North West Data Solutions.

AuthorGallion, Mari
PositionView from the Top - Chief executive officer - Occupation overview

Originally from northern Idaho near the Canadian border, Chris Howell grew up in an economically depressed region where logging and farming were the predominant industries. The eldest of six children, he was raised helping out at his family's dairy. As a teenager, Howell dreamed of coming to the 49th state. His first profession was as a timber faller, an occupation which took him to Idaho, Montana, Washington, and Colorado before personal circumstances opened the door of opportunity for Howell to cut timber in the Last Frontier. Howell moved to the Southeast Alaska logging camps in the late eighties. When his younger brother brought a computer to the logging camp in 1990, Howell says he felt inept, inadequate, and ignorant regarding this new technology-and those were feelings he was not comfortable with. Thus, he decided to "make them go away" by learning all that he could about the computer.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

HOW TO MOVE ON: The logging industry was a period of the past. I decided to live in Anchorage after I finished my degree. I am not cut out for living in big cities. To me, Anchorage is a big city. However, I love Anchorage because there are plenty of opportunities available and the city is not oppressive. It is spread out. I love Alaska and always will. If people want to work, there is always work--if you are willing to swallow your pride.

COMING TOGETHER: I finished a degree in Management Information Systems at the University Alaska Anchorage in 2003. After graduation, University of Alaska Anchorage had visions of starting an entrepreneurship program for graduating students that wanted to begin startups. Many of us graduating seniors became excited about starting an IT business, so six of us joined forces and started NorthWest Data Solutions (NWDS) in July 2003. Our first projects were for Chenega Technology Services Corporation. We later got projects with Alaska USA...

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